RA Kartini Museum

RA Kartini museum is located on the town center, northward the town’s field. The museum is a general museum and functioned as historical tourist object managed by the Tourism office of Jepara Regency. The museum is daily opened from 08.00 am to 02.00 pm. It was built on March 30th 1975 at Soewarno Djojomardowo, SH era and officially opened at Soedikto, SH era on April 21st 1977.

The purpose of the museum establishment is to commemorate RA Kartini’s struggle. By documenting Kartini’s struggle and showing to the public, hope that public will always remember Kartini’s efforts in sustaining gender equity. In this museum you can also notice several historical stuffs founded in Jepara regency. Total area is 5.210 square meters but only 890 sguare meters used for the museum building. The museum consist of  three main building figured like K,T,N, form (abreviaton of KARTINI). The buildings are devided into 4 collection rooms as follows.

Room I

This room contains of RA Kartini’s heritage, including her portraits when she was alive.
- A set of real wooden living chairs and table carved with ancient motive.
- With picture of her face when she was getting to be married with the residence of Rembang, on November 12th, 1903.
- Portrait of her handwritten letter which she sent to her penpall in Netherland.
- Her only son’s portrait, Raden Mas Singgih.
- Her father’s portrait, RMAA Sosroningrat.
- Her mother’s Portrait, MA Ngasirah.
- Learning desk.
- Souvenir made by her students.
- Special device used to paint clothe.
- Kartini’s genealogy.
- Portraits of backyard of Jepara City Hall.
- Botekan (medicine box used to keep herbs).
- Original sew machine belongs to her students

Room II

In this room we will notice RMP. Sosrokartonos heritage (Kartini’s brother). He had a huge contribution in supporting Kartini’s idea. He was well known for his special skill in traditional treatment using mineral water as media. People called him “Ndoro Sosro” and also often called “Joko Pring” and “Mandor Klungsu”. He was also well known for his “Catur Murti” skill (a harmony of spoken language, feeling, idea, and behavior). According to Javanese belief, a person who can achieve “Catur Murti” will become a real human. His heritages are well kept in this rooms, such as:
- Original waiting room chairs
- Sofa chairs which was used for rest
- Treatment bed which was also used for his final rest
- Portrait of Merapi Mount and Lawu Mount, not taken by using satellite or airplane but taken by his supranatural skill
- Yoga room
- Framed picture of alif (Arabic 1st letter) used to know the result of the cure
- Etc.

 

Room III

Contain of many stuffs from Queen Shima era in 7th century. Queen Shima was a queen of Kalingga Kingdom, belong to Keling Sub-District.
- Portrait of Kalingga Kingdom’s stuff was made of gold and platinum
- The statue of Trimurti and Siwa Mahaguru
- Yoni and lingga
- Coins
- A block of carve stone, similar with the ornament which is settle on wall of Mantingan Mosque
- A set of gamelan (old Javanese traditional music instrument)
Besides all those stuffs mentioned above, in this room there are also some samples of Jepara traditional handicraft, as follows:

- Carving wood
- Traditional
- Monel (a kind of white steel)
- Ceramic stuffs
- Rattan and Bamboo souvenir

 

Room IV

In this room we can find the skeleton of giant fish called “Joko Tuo”, which has 16 meters of length and 2 meters of width. The local fisherman of Karimunjava founded the fish in 1989. According the archeologist, the fish belong to elephant fish family. It is proven by the tusk which belong to the fish is similar with elephant curved tusk but most of visitors believe that the fish is a kind whale